Boehner: I’m Not Giving Up Wine, Cigarettes To Be President

Congressional Republicans swiftly and sharply rejected President Barack Obama’s vow to act on his own if lawmakers won’t help him create jobs and narrow the nation’s yawning income gap, insisting he’ll accomplish little in a divided government without them. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

“Listen, I like to play golf,” Boehner said by way of explanation. “I like to cut my own grass. You know, I do drink red wine. I smoke cigarettes. And I’m not giving that up to be the President of the United States.”

The line got a round of applause from the Burbank, Calif. audience.

Boehner also got a laugh when he was asked if GOP infighting in Washington is the worst that he’s seen.

“The funny thing about the so called infighting is that we agree on all the goals,” the speaker said. “We think Obamacare is bad for the country. We think we shouldn’t spend more than what we bring in. We think the President is ignoring the law. It’s all a fight over tactics. It’s not over what our goals are.”